THE NEW CHIEF POST-OFFICE, PARIS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1924, 24 April 1880, Page 3

THE NEW CHIEF POST-OFFICE, PARIS.

[From "The Builder."J No matter what political storms convulse France, public works of utility are rarely neglected, and amongst those now in progress, not the least is the reconstruction of the General Post-office in Paris. The tenements which the service will occupy temporarily will soon be erected. They are to extend the length of the Pavilion de Marsan and the Pavilion de Eohan, and their total length will be 200 metres (130 metres in the court yard of the Tuilories and the rest in the Place du Carrousel) and their width forty metres. A passage ten metres in width will be left open to the public during tbe day between the Pavilions de Marsan and Eohan and the tenements. The length of the opposite side as well as the east side will be leserved for the circulation of the mail-carts, a space 30 metres in width. The buildings will consist simply of a ground-floor of stone with iron framework, so as to avoid as much as possible all danger from fire. It will cost 600,000 f. (£24,000), and the installation 275,000 f. more. Pretty well this for temporary buildings. However, this arrangement will be, nevertheless, an economy. If the service had remained in the Hue Jean Jacques Bousseau the cost of transport would greatly have exceeded this, without speaking of the annoyance and confusion the constant changing would have occasioned. The service will be installed in the new quarters about the 20th of next June, and the flitting will be done in a moment. The different branches whioh at ten at night will be in the Bue Jean Jacques Bousseau, will find themselves at four the next morning in the Place du Oarrousol. The demolition of the old Post-office and the opening of the new street can then commence, but it is probable that the discussions the expropriations will give rise to will cause things to drag on till towards the end of July. They hope, however, that the building will be levelled and the Bue aux Ours and the Bue du Louvre lengthened by the end of September. The construction alone of the new Poßt-offico, which will occupy three years, will cost, it is estimated, 8,400,000 francs. The total outlay necessitated by the erection of the new building and the opening of the new streets and the expropriations necessary will amount to 16,000,000 franos. The Post-office will extend 120 metres in the Bue aux Ours and 76 metres in the Bue du Louvre.